Alexis Bates 
It’s the New Year and with it comes new travel fees for tourists. To be frank, this is profoundly unsurprising. There’s little else that local, regional, and national governments love more than levying a tax on tourists. There’s quite a bit of sense to it, they raise additional funding and they don’t anger their voter … Read more
One of the most beloved of American dishes is, undoubtably, Sloppy Joes. The gooey pile of goodness has been a staple of childhood (and, if we’re being honest, adulthood) for around a century at this point. There’s one thing that’s always bothered me though, why is it called that? I mean the “sloppy” part makes … Read more
If you’ve taken a cruise or two before, this list is likely something you’ve seen in the past. However, for the “uncruised” this is an important read (and it never hurts to have a refresher). There are many banned cruise items that the lines outright prohibit and others they tightly control, and it’s your responsibility … Read more
You might find it hard to believe, given my work, that I’d never been to New York City. Don’t worry, I’ve corrected this oversight and along the way I spent half a day in one of the most unique buildings I’ve ever set foot in, The Morgan Library. In a city of remarkable buildings, this … Read more
Back in May of 2005, which is, and this is true, more than twenty years ago, the Real ID Act was signed into law. Its intent was to create new, stricter standards for government IDs. These new standards for identification were originally to be implemented by 2008 but, states continued to ask for more time. … Read more
In the last year, we got a rather surprising bit of information about our website. Our site’s metrics for the last three months showed that our article on travel humidifiers gets significant traffic. I was surprised to learn this since, when I published it, it got very little traction. It seems, though, that in the … Read more
Christmas comes but once a year but boy does it announce itself. These days store start putting up their Christmas items in October and “All I Want For Christmas” seems to magically start playing at exactly 12:01 AM November 1st. Somehow, though, every year the holiday sneaks up on you and it gets filled up … Read more
If you’re a frequent traveler, you very likely have a frequent flyer account with one or more airlines. You likely have an airline that is the biggest player in your local market and you probably fly that the most. If you live near a hub for one of them that’s doubly true. For decades now, … Read more
If you’ve taken a cruise in the last decade, there’s no doubt you’ve seen the emails about bidding for an upgrade to your room. The chance to upgrade your travel experience for less than it costs to book those cabins outright is a very enticing opportunity, one that makes the bargain hunting, Midwesterner spirit glow … Read more
I travel frequently, as you likely know by now. I’m on a plane, bus, or train at least three or four times a month most of the year. Yet, I rarely get sick. I promise I don’t have some sort of exceptional immune system. The only things I do are follow a few simple tips … Read more
